Early Opening For LV Ski & Snowboard Resort

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Las Vegas Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort (LVSSR) will open Chair 3 for skiing and snowboarding on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011 at 7:30 a.m., making it one of the first ski areas in the United States to open its lift served terrain for the 2011/12 season. Chair 3 will run until 4 p.m. on Saturday, and will open again on Sunday, Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday is also LVSSR’s first-ever Oktoberfest celebration; on Saturday, LVSSR hosts the finish of the 17.5-mile Mount Charleston Hill Climb 2011 bike race.

On both days, guests can ski and snowboard in a terrain and jib park that features a series of rails and boxes that was created for the special occasion. All 2011/12 season passes will be honored; a daily lift ticket is $20 for adults, children and seniors. The restaurant and bar will be serving food and beverages and ski and snowboard rentals will be available. Ski school will not be offering lessons.

“We have received nine inches of snow since Wednesday and the humidity and temperatures allowed us to utilize our snowmaking ability to add to the natural base,” explains Kevin Stickelman, LVSSR’s president. Stickelman notes that this snowmaking effort used about 400,000 gallons of water from the area’s snowmaking pond, which holds 7.5 million gallons of water. Stickelman says that the water used will be 100 percent recovered in the next few weeks and will not impact in-season snowmaking. LVSSR will re-open for the season on Friday, November 25.

On both days, LVSSR will offer scenic chairlift rides on Chair 1; tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for kids. Children age of 5 and under ride for free. Sunday’s Oktoberfest event that’s 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the base lodge includes traditional German fare like bratwurst and sauerkraut. Live music will play on the patio and local brewery Tenaya Creek will serve its limited-release Tenaya Creek Oktoberfest beer.

“It’s a rare for this region to receive snow so early, so we felt it was important to offer our season pass holders and guests a chance to come together, celebrate and get excited about the season,” says Stickelman.

Guests will also have an opportunity to pick up season passes at discounted prices, a deal that lasts through Oct 31. Detailed information on pre-season pricing is available at www.skilasvegas.com. Information about new lessons at the ski school, as well as about the new ski racing program for children and NASTAR, the National Standard Race grassroots ski race program — all of which launch this season — will be available.

This summer, LVSSR initiated a $35 million master development plan that will expand the number of trails to 50 and lifts to 10 once completed over the next 10 to 12 years. Skiers this season will find an outdoor

seating area at the base lodge that was expanded to 5,000 square feet as well as five high-efficiency snowmaking guns, two yurts for the expanded youth ski school and beginner programs, a youth racing program that runs for eight weeks in January and February and NASTAR, the National Standard Race grassroots ski race program.